Ingredients

• 1 bunch young radish greens (yeolmu), about 800 g to 1 kg
• 200 to 300 g Korean radish, cut into thin matchsticks or small batons
• 1 to 2 small cucumbers, optional, lightly salted
• 1/2 cup coarse sea salt for salting the greens, plus extra as needed
• 4 cups water for dissolving salt if needed
• 3 to 4 scallions, cut into 4 to 5 cm lengths
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced, optional
• 2 to 3 green chilies, sliced, optional
• 1 small red chili, sliced, optional
• 3 tbsp Korean chili powder (gochugaru), adjust to taste
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 to 2 tbsp salted anchovy sauce or sand lance sauce, to taste
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce, optional if needed for depth
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp sugar or plum extract, optional, for balance
• 3 tbsp flour or rice flour
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups water for the porridge
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp salt for the brine, adjusted to taste
• 2 to 3 cups cold water or cooled porridge liquid, as needed for the kimchi broth

Instructions

1. Trim the roots of the young radish greens, remove any tough or damaged leaves, and cut into bite-size lengths. Rinse gently 2 to 3 times to remove dirt without bruising the leaves.
2. If using radish, cut it into thin batons or small matchsticks. Lightly salt the radish pieces separately for 20 to 30 minutes if they are thick, then drain.
3. Salt the yeolmu evenly with coarse sea salt, turning it once or twice so it wilts uniformly. Let it sit until the stems bend easily but are still crisp, usually about 1 to 2 hours depending on thickness.
4. Rinse the salted greens 2 to 3 times in cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well in a colander for at least 20 minutes.
5. Make the porridge by whisking flour into water, cooking over medium heat until lightly thickened, then cooling completely. This helps the seasoning cling and forms a cleaner kimchi broth.
6. In a large bowl, combine gochugaru, garlic, ginger, anchovy sauce, fish sauce if using, and sugar or plum extract if using. Add the cooled porridge and enough cold water to make a loose seasoning mixture.
7. Add the drained yeolmu, radish, scallions, and optional onion and chilies. Gently toss by hand until evenly coated without breaking the greens.
8. Pack the kimchi firmly into a clean container, pressing out air pockets. Pour in enough seasoned broth to cover the vegetables but leave a little headspace for fermentation.
9. Leave at cool room temperature for several hours to 1 day, depending on ambient temperature, until the kimchi begins to smell pleasantly tangy and the broth shows light bubbling. Then refrigerate.
10. Chill for at least several hours before serving. Yeolmu kimchi is often best when lightly fermented and still crisp, but it can continue to develop deeper flavor in the refrigerator.